@Dorothy : New York is not Texas. Different way of life here. @Stealth83 is right, in the Southern states ditches served a bigger purpose than sidewalks. Only in the last 16 years has Pearland exploded, before that, and for generations before, things were so spread out, few people walked, and those that did walk, only walked because they had no other recourse.The invention of motorized cars is what facilitated the need for sidewalks, splitting walking pedestrians from the cars. Prior to that, walkers, bicyclers, horseback, buggy - all of them shared one thoroughfare - the road.Not having sidewalks is very common in most southern states. Where I grew up in Louisiana, I don't recall a single sidewalk, even to this day. Some of the bigger towns within a 20 mile radius of there had a few - usually on the main street. For me, at least, no sidewalks is normal.I do agree with needing them, since Pearland makes kids within a two mile radius of their zoned school walk or bike.There is a HUGE misconception, though, about bicycles. They are NOT allowed on sidewalks by law. It is illegal to ride bikes on sidewalks. They should still share the road.
www.biketexas.org/hi storic-bicycle-touri sm-trails/texas-bicy cle-laws/